| |
|
|
| Year : 2008 | Volume
: 19
| Issue : 2 | Page : 169 |
|
| Oil pulling therapy |
|
|
Sharath Asokan
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Alapakkam Main Road, Chennai - 600 095, India
Click here for correspondence address and email
| Date of Submission | 21-Feb-2008 |
| Date of Acceptance | 02-Apr-2008 |
|
|
 |
|
How to cite this article:
Asokan S. Oil pulling therapy. Indian J Dent Res 2008;19:169 |
There may have been great technological advances in health care, but it is important not to lose sight of the basic protocols of patient care. In the field of dentistry this means establishing and maintaining effective preventive habits in our patients. No matter how sophisticated dental techniques and procedures may have become, preventive dentistry remains the foundation of oral health care. Dental health care professionals need to put home oral hygiene at the core of their advice on preventive practices. The area of oral hygiene has undergone humongous development, and a mundane subject has turned into a field with a surprising amount of growth and research. There are umpteen number of indigenous natural medicinal products which deserve due recognition for their contribution to improving oral health.
The sesame plant (Sesamum indicum) of the Pedaliaceae family has been considered a gift of nature to mankind because of its nutritional qualities and its many desirable health effects. The seeds of the plant are commonly known as 'gingelly' or 'til' seeds. Sesame oil has a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and is a good source of vitamin E. [1] The antioxidants present in it are mainly sesamol, sesamin, and sesamolin. [1] Sesamin has been found to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol as well as its production in the liver. It reduces lipogenesis and exhibits an antihypertensive action. [2]
'Oil pulling' or oil swishing is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. Oil pulling therapy with sesame oil has been extensively used as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years for strengthening teeth, gums, and jaws and to prevent tooth decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of throat, and cracked lips. [3] The concept of oil pulling is not new and it has been discussed in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita, where it is referred to as kavala graha or kavala gandoosha. [4] For oil pulling therapy, a tablespoon (teaspoon for young children) of sesame oil is taken in the mouth, sipped, sucked, and pulled between the teeth for 10-15 min. The viscous oil turns thin and milky white. It is claimed that the swishing activates enzymes and draws toxins out of the blood. [3] The oil should not be swallowed as it contains bacteria and toxins. Oil pulling therapy should be followed by tooth brushing and rinsing of the mouth. It is preferably done on an empty stomach in the morning.
The question to be answered here is: 'Why is oil pulling being popularized?' Sesame oil has the following advantages over the standard and commercially available mouthwashes: it causes no staining, has no lingering aftertaste, and causes no allergic reactions. It is five to six times more cost-effective than the commercially available mouthwashes and is, moreover, readily available in the household. Considering these benefits, oil pulling therapy with sesame oil should be promoted as a measure for the prevention of oral disease. Sufficient scientific research has not been carried out to evaluate the effect of oil pulling therapy on oral health and this needs to be addressed. The answer to the above question is: 'If we do not support our desi product, who else will?' In the very near future, sesame oil will open new doors in oral health care.
 References | |  |
| 1. | Namiki M. The chemistry and physiological functions of sesame. Foods Rev Int 1995;11:281-9.  |
| 2. | Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_oil. [cited on 2007 Oct 2]. |
| 3. | Available from: http://www.oilpulling.com. [cited on 2005 Dec 12]. |
| 4. | Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oil_pulling. [cited on 2007 Oct 2]. |
Correspondence Address:
Sharath Asokan
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Alapakkam Main Road, Chennai - 600 095
India
 Source of Support: Nil, Conflict of Interest: Disclosed  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0970-9290.40476
Clinical trial registration Disclosed
Asokan S: Concepts
|
|
| This article has been cited by | | 1 |
Comparative efficacy of coconut oil-pulling therapy versus 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinse on dental plaque and gingival health: A clinicomicrobiological study |
|
| Arun Malik, Priyanka Chopra, Shalini Kapoor, Sujata Massamati | | Journal of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences University. 2022; 17(4): 847 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 2 |
Oral health effects of oil pulling: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials |
|
| BKumara Raja, Kavitha Devi | | Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry. 2021; 19(3): 170 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 3 |
High-resolution taxonomic examination of the oral microbiome after oil pulling with standardized sunflower seed oil and healthy participants: a pilot study |
|
| Tim Griessl, Silke Zechel-Gran, Stefan Olejniczak, Markus Weigel, Torsten Hain, Eugen Domann | | Clinical Oral Investigations. 2021; 25(5): 2689 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 4 |
The effect of oil pulling with coconut oil to improve dental hygiene and oral health: A systematic review |
|
| Julian Woolley, Tatjana Gibbons, Kajal Patel, Roberto Sacco | | Heliyon. 2020; 6(8): e04789 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 5 |
Effect of sesame oil, ozonated sesame oil, and chlorhexidine mouthwash on oral health status of adolescents: A randomized controlled pilot trial |
|
| VChitra Vadhana,Asokan Sharath,PR Geethapriya,V Vijayasankari | | Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. 2019; 37(4): 365 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 6 |
Effect of sesame oil, ozonated sesame oil, and chlorhexidine mouthwash on oral health status of adolescents: A randomized controlled pilot trial |
|
| VChitra Vadhana,Asokan Sharath,PR Geethapriya,V Vijayasankari | | Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. 2019; 37(4): 365 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 7 |
Knowledge and Awareness About Effects of Sesame Oil Pulling and Its Health Benefits Among Dental Students of Igids, Puducherry: A Cross Sectional Study
|
|
| Murugaboopathy Vikneshan, Senthil M, Krishnapriya V | | Journal of Scientific Dentistry. 2018; 8(2): 2 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 8 |
Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials |
|
| Oghenekome Gbinigie,Igho Onakpoya,Elizabeth Spencer,Marcy McCall MacBain,Carl Heneghan | | Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2016; 26: 47 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 9 |
Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials |
|
| Oghenekome Gbinigie,Igho Onakpoya,Elizabeth Spencer,Marcy McCall MacBain,Carl Heneghan | | Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2016; 26: 47 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 10 |
Lipids in preventive dentistry |
|
| Kensche, A. and Reich, M. and Kümmerer, K. and Hannig, M. and Hannig, C. | | Clinical Oral Investigations. 2013; 17(3): 669-685 | | [Pubmed] | | | 11 |
Lipids in preventive dentistry |
|
| A. Kensche,M. Reich,K. Kümmerer,M. Hannig,C. Hannig | | Clinical Oral Investigations. 2013; 17(3): 669 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 12 |
Effect of Safflower Oil on the Protective Properties of the in situ Formed Salivary Pellicle |
|
| C. Hannig,C. Wagenschwanz,S. Pötschke,K. Kümmerer,A. Kensche,W. Hoth-Hannig,M. Hannig | | Caries Research. 2012; 46(5): 496 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 13 |
Effect of safflower oil on the protective properties of the in situ formed salivary pellicle |
|
| Hannig, C. and Wagenschwanz, C. and Ptschke, S. and Kmmerer, K. and Kensche, A. and Hoth-Hannig, W. and Hannig, M. | | Caries Research. 2012; 46(5): 496-506 | | [Pubmed] | | | 14 |
Effect of oil pulling on halitosis and microorganisms causing halitosis: A randomized controlled pilot trial |
|
| Asokan, S., Saravana Kumar, R., Emmadi, P., Raghuraman, R., Sivakumar, N. | | Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. 2011; 29(2): 90-94 | | [Pubmed] | | | 15 |
Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: A review of holistic approaches to oral health |
|
| Singh, A., Purohit, B. | | Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2011; 2(2): 64-68 | | [Pubmed] | | | 16 |
Mechanism of oil-pulling therapy -In vitro study |
|
| Asokan, S., Rathinasamy, T.K., Inbamani, N., Menon, T., Kumar, S.S., Emmadi, P., Raghuraman, R. | | Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2011; 22(1): 34-37 | | [Pubmed] | | | 17 |
Effect of oil pulling on plaque induced gingivitis: A randomized, controlled, triple-blind study |
|
| Asokan, S., Emmadi, P., Chamundeswari, R. | | Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2009; 20(1): 47-51 | | [Pubmed] | | | 18 |
Folk remedy |
|
| S. Asokan | | BDJ. 2009; 207(12): 568 | | [VIEW] | [DOI] | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Article Access Statistics | | | Viewed | 58832 | | | Printed | 1188 | | | Emailed | 24 | | | PDF Downloaded | 1244 | | | Comments | [Add] | | | Cited by others | 18 | | |
|
|
Users online:
